Percy Jackson is a baller
by brown95008
Summary: Percy Jackson just wants play basketball and a take a break from the gods. However, he can never be left alone. When his high school life and and half blood life clash together, he can no longer be a bystander.
1. Missed shot

Nothing feels better than having the ball in my hands. Actually, scratch that, holding hands with Annabeth is the best feeling. Holding Riptide is probably second to that. And Mom's cookies, oooohhh, so good. Okay, dribbling the ball is top five, but you get the point. I'm at the top of the key and I look to my left. Brandon is covered and Kyle can't get open in the post. I look to my right and Dennis is double teamed and Connor is trying to set him up with a screen. I look at the shot clock. _Ten seconds left. Okay, plenty of time_ I thought. My defender is quick, but he isn't that tall. I dribble with my right and do a quick double crossover and step back to the three point line. The guy is too short to bother my shot. I thought _Easy money_. Released the ball with 2 seconds left and watched the ball.

It rolled out.

_Dam_, I thought, Dennis is not gonna let me hear the end of it.

Bzzzzzzz. Buzzer goes off and that's the end of the third quarter.

I go sit down at the bench and I look up. I see Dennis staring straight at me.

"What the hell, Percy, why didn't you pass me ball," he yelled

"Bro, you were double teamed and I had an open look. I went for it," I answered.

"Dude, I had the hot hand. Give me the damn rock and let me score. I'm gonna carry this team to state, so don't mess this up for me," Dennis countered.

Coach Kevin looked at both of us and just seemed to be done. He commented, "You guys relax, were up by 15. We need to stay on the page. Dennis go get a drink of water and cool off. Connor, setting a screen is not hard. If you can't do something so simple, I'm taking you out. Brandon get open, stop standing around. Kyle keep fighting for position. That is a big fella, but he is gonna tired and we will eventually feed you the ball. Percy, that was good shot, just unlucky. Let's try to extend the lead to 20 'kay guys? Alright, hands in. Perce?"

I took a deep breath and said, "Win on three, 1, 2, 3."

Everyone shouted, "Win!"

We walked onto the floor with the other team. Dennis walked towards me and whispered, "We win this game, I'll forget that you didn't pass the ball." And he walked away.

Typical Dennis, gets all upset that he doesn't get the ball, but will be the happiest person in the room with a win.

The thing that sucks about these road games is that the crowd always gets into it. Especially Boston fans. I'll never understand why Coach agreed to preseason games in Boston. Doesn't he know that this is like the worst atmosphere to play in. I mean, I've been around some rough places and I fought in arenas against monsters and giants. But Boston fans, one of the loudest people ever. They're even worse when they are losing. And their players, don't get me started. I thought only monsters played dirty.

Brandon walked over to me and said, "Hey Perce, forget what Dennis said, let's go win this game."

I looked at him and said, "You right man, we got this in the bag."


	2. Pick-n-Roll

Basketball is not so different from fighting a monster or a titan. It is all about teamwork and instinct. Thanks to my ADHD and battle experience, the game comes easy to me. The only thing I struggle with is shooting a three-pointer and I blame the twins for that. Apollo and Artemis just can't give me a break.

The other team starts with the ball. They aren't terrible, they are just very predictable. All they do is a pick-n-roll with wing players in the corner. I mean, it worked in the beginning. However, we got used to the routine and just adjusted. They don't have great shooting, so we just attacked them at half court and make them set the pick earlier. And sure enough, that is exactly what they did. We just played a 2-3 zone and suffocated their point guard number 10. His name was James and he could handle the ball pretty well, but he was no match for me and Brandon. The big fella, Jeffrey Jones, set a good pick on me, but I just went under it and met James on the other side. James did a crossover dribble and went back to his right, but Brandon was there to meet him. James picked up his dribble and was in a panic as Brandon and I hovered over him. I slapped the ball out of his and dove for the loose ball. I saw Brandon streaking down and passed him the ball. He did a simple left hand lay up. I smiled and gave him a high five as we went back on defense. We've been terrorizing this dude the whole game, you'd think the coach would try something new. Even the crowd was getting rowdy and was booing James. I felt bad for the dude.

On the next play, Jeffrey sets the pick on Brandon instead and delivers a hard screen. The screen is so hard that it knocks the wind out of Brandon. James delivered a textbox pass to Jeffrey which allowed him to get in between Connor and Dennis. Jeffrey is built like Tyson at 6'10 and over 220 lbs. He basically bullies Connor in the paint and dunks it. I just shake my head, there is nothing we can do to stop that.

I look over and see Brandon is still on the ground. I go over to help him.

"Bro, you good?" I ask.

He responds, "I felt like I got hit by a truck. How do you not get bothered by his screens?"

I just shrug and say, "I don't know bro, I just go around and cut the dude off. Let's go get a bucket."

Brandon brings the ball up the court and calls out the play, "Blue Niner, Blue Niner!"

Connor gives me a screen, but my defender anticipates this and goes around. I make him pay and go backdoor. Brandon delivers the perfect bounce pass to me. I'm about to lay it in, but I sense Jeffrey coming in to block my shot. I see Dennis cutting to basket at the same time, so I wrap around Jeffrey and toss it to Dennis. He catches it and tomahawks the dunk. Our whole bench jumps up and screams in excitement. The whole crowd gave oohs and ahhs cause Dennis just posterized Jeffrey.

Dennis pointed at me and yelled, "That's game Jackson, that's game. Let's go home boys, this team got nothing."

With the whole place going crazy, the referees called a timeout to let the crowd calm down. Coach had us huddled up together. The whole team was hyping up Dennis on his dunk and going crazy. Even Coach was smiling a little bit, but he will deny the whole thing if you ask him.

Dennis stated, "Aye Percy, nice pass. That's what I'm talking about!"

I smiled and responded, "No prob bro. When you're open, I'll find a way to get you the ball."

He commented, "As long as you keep dishing out those dimes, this game is a wrap."

He gave me a high five and I responded, "Let's get this dub."


	3. Brandon Gets Pulled

Ch. 3

Jeffrey Jones was nicknamed "Semi" because when he sets a pick or someone takes a charge, it apparently feels like you are getting hit by a semi-truck. When we came back on the court, Jeffrey had this look that I knew all too well. It just said that give me the dam ball and get out of the way.

It appeared they changed their entire game plan because they had everyone outside the three-point line except for Jeffrey. James brought up the ball and I decided to pressure him. James coughed it up and passed it to the wing number 26 who tossed it into Jeffrey. We got so comfortable to their pick-n-roll, we forgot about how big Jeffrey was and we only had Connor guarding him. As soon as Jeffrey got the ball, he backed Connor down under the basket and dunked it. Connor inbounded the ball and passed it to Brandon. He brought it up and was picked up by the slowest guy on the team 37. He dribbled it between his legs and drove into the left lane for a layup. There was one problem though. Jeffrey was waiting for him in the paint and Brandon tried to float the ball in. Except Jeffrey saw it coming and timed his block perfectly. It was so perfect that it was basically a pass to James who raced away to the other basket on a fast break.

Brandon didn't want to make the same mistake, so he drove into the right lane and do a reverse layup. He saw that Jeffrey was too big, so he tried to pass it to Kyle by wrapping it around Jeffrey. However, Jeffrey somehow read Brandon's eyes and caught it. He stole the ball and led the fast break up the court. He did something he hadn't done all game. He pulled up five feet beyond the arc. The crowd could tell the team was making a comeback and started to get louder.

I heard some shouting and looked over my right shoulder. I saw Dennis getting right up into Brandon and shouting at him. Just another thing we need, have our point guard lose more confidence.

Dennis demanded the ball and brought it up. He asked for Connor to give him a screen on the right. He led his man right into the screen and pulled up from the arc. Swish, nothing but net.

Jeffrey inbounded the ball and chucked it all the way down the court to James who was cherry-picking. Brandon went to inbound the ball to Dennis, but James anticipated the whole thing and stole the ball. He passed it to 26 who shot a three-pointer. The score went from fifteen point difference to eight points at 59-67. Coach Kevin called a timeout.

Coach Kevin stated, "Brandon, I'm pulling you out. Terry, get in there at the center and don't foul out. Jackson, you are taking point."

Brandon argued, "Coach, don't do this. Leave me in, I can handle this. I just screwed up. Give me another chance."

He responded, "You turned over the ball twice in less than a minute and you're rattled. I can't trust you with the ball. Jeffrey is in your head. I can't have the ball in the hands of a point guard who cannot execute a simple play."

Brandon stammered, "But Coach-"

Coach Kevin declared, "Sit down Brandon and stop arguing. Jackson, can I trust you?"

I looked at both of them and answered, "Yes Coach."

Coach Kevin stated, "Good. I need you to run Green Noodles. You hear that Terry?"

Terry gulped and answered, "Uh, yes sir. I understand."

Coach Kevin continued, "We are gonna need to double team. Terry, you front him. Connor, you get behind. You two suffocate him. We are gonna switch to man-to-man defense and lay off 15."

Dennis felt excluded and said, "Coach, what about me? I have thirty points already, I can get a bucket anywhere."

Coach Kevin just smiled and responded, "I'll let you know Dennis. Alright, get back on the court."

Terry is 6'11, but he is all skin and bones. He is a sophomore and is still learning how to play. But he is really athletic and has a huge vert of 35 inches. So, he is great for shot-blocking and lobs.

I yelled, "Green Noodle, Green Noodle!"

I saw Terry spin out of Jeffrey and jumped. I passed him the perfect lob and Terry slammed it down hard. Got one minute to hold the lead.

"Terry, front him. Connor, stay in the key," yelled Coach Kevin.

I shouted, "I got ball, I got ball!"

James did a double crossover, but I stayed in front of him. He tried to go behind his back and drive left, but I cut him and forced him to pick up his dribble. He may have the dribbling skill, but he doesn't have the quickness to drive by me. He was wide-eyed and had no clue what to do. He threw up a prayer and it hit the rim. Dennis grabbed the rebound and I sprinted down the court. Dennis zipped the ball between two defenders and right into my hands. I felt James on my right, so I pumped fake with my right. James fell for it and jumped. While James was in midair, I switched the ball to my left and did a reverse lay-up. The seconds were waning down and they fed the ball to Jeffrey to get a bucket. Terry timed it perfectly and caught mid-air. He passed the ball to me and I just dribbled out the clock.

I took a deep breath and just realized how exhausted I was. After shaking hands and heading into the locker room, I just collapsed.

"Listen up guys, this game should have been a blowout. We made too many mistakes in the fourth quarter. Too many turnovers and too many blown defensive assignments. I'll send you guys the film later tonight. Just get some rest tonight," stated Coach Kevin. "Tomorrow, we are gonna do some conditioning because guys make mistakes when they are tired. So, we are going to make sure you guys have the stamina to stay in the whole game. Pack your stuff up and get on the bus."

Coach Kevin likes to keep his lectures short because he knows we lose interest after like five minutes. Especially after games since we are all tired and just want to go home. As I was packing my stuff, I was watching Brandon and noticed he was just crushed.

I walked over and told him, "Aye, chin up, bro. You will get the next one."

He answered, "You don't understand Perce, I needed this game. Coach trusted me, and I blew it."

I responded, "Hey, this place was hella loud. Jeffrey is super big and intimidating. Any of us could have screwed up."

Dennis butted in and countered, "Ya, Jackson, you're right. Except, none of us screwed up as bad as little man over."

I saw Brandon's face just fall like his dog was run over by an actual semi-truck and the player Semi at the same time.

"Dennis lay off man. You ain't making it any better," I said.

"Look, Jackson," replied Dennis. "I can't trust a man who keeps giving the ball to the other team. Cuz look, he folded under the pressure when we were up by 15 points. If he can't handle the responsibility of passing me the ball when we are up, how will he play when we are down by five in the last minute. Tell me, Jackson, do you trust Brandon to make the right play in that situation? Cuz I sure don't."

I looked at Brandon and thought about it. I mean he does provide a point. But I've seen Brandon play and I know he's got some dog in him.

I answered, "Yeah, I trust Brandon."

Dennis looked at me shocked and asked, "The ball in his hands, ten seconds left, we need a three-pointer to win. You trust him with your life?"

I answered immediately, "Yeah, one hundred percent."

I looked over at Brandon and saw the relief in his face. He stood up straighter as if he found some pride in my answer.

Dennis just shook his head and stated, "Dude, you are too nice and trustworthy. When the chips are down and we need a bucket, give me the ball. Don't screw up like you did earlier today Jackson. Yeah, you thought I forgot that? Trust me, I don't forget. If we are gonna win state, the ball needs to be in my hands." After that, he just walked away onto the bus.

I walked onto the bus and sat down towards the back. I was about to put in my headphones when I heard someone sit down next to me. I looked over and saw it was Brandon.

He said, "Hey, thanks for standing up for me."

"No prob, dude. I always gotta stick up for my teammate. Besides, Dennis was just annoyed I shot the ball and was being a jerk," I answered.

I hesitated and continued, "Although, he does have a point."

"About him taking the last shot?" Brandon questioned.

"No, no, no. Not that. I meant about you being nervous and choking. We need to fix that," I responded.

Brandon sighed and commented, "Ya, I know man. I don't know what happened. I just kept messing up."

I looked at him and stated, "Bro, it was your first that you started. It's just the nerves. I've seen you play, and you can ball. Look, let's watch the film tomorrow during lunch and we'll figure out what you did wrong."

He looked at me and nodded. After a few minutes of silence, I looked over and saw him knocked out. _Man, I wish sleeping was that peaceful_ I thought.


	4. Film

Ch. 4

SLAM!

_What was that?_ I opened my eyes and saw a hand on my desk. _Uh-oh, this can't be good._ I looked up and there was my teacher, staring back at me with her cold, black beady eyes. Ms. Morrison. Honestly, she is the scariest teacher I've had since Ms. Dodds, and she was a fury. Ms. Morrison though, her being human is still up for debate.

"Mr. Jackson, did you get enough sleep?" asked Ms. Morrison.

"Uh… Yes?" I answered.

Ms. Morrison smiled devilishly and said, "Good. Now tell me, which countries are part of the Axis Powers?"

_Dam_. I looked around to see if anyone would be willing to help me. Connor looked at me and shrugged. Dennis was on his phone watching his highlights. The only one that was helpful was Brandon, but it was really confusing. He just kept pointing to himself and mouthing _Me_.

I replied, "Is one of them Korea?"

Brandon facepalmed himself.

Her smile seemed to just grow like she won the lottery with my answer.

Ms. Morrison said, "No. The Axis Powers are Germany, Italy, and Japan. Dennis put your phone away. Brandon, stop slapping yourself. Now class, can anyone tell me who started World War II?'

It was silent for a few minutes, then the bell rang. Ding-Ding.

_Yes, I'm outta here. _

Ms. Morrison sighed and stated, "Okay, I need someone to answer this next class. For homework, read chapter 23 and answer the questions at the end of the chapter. We have a test coming up in two weeks."

I dipped as fast as I could. That teacher just gives me bad vibes. I headed over to the cafeteria to get some lunch. Brandon joined me in line and just gave me an exasperated look.

He commented, "Bro, did not get my hint?"

"Ya, I got your hint, but how were you helping me? You just kept pointing at yourself. How was that supposed to help me?" I answered.

"Dude, what's my last name?" Brandon asked.

"I don't know man. Is it Lee?" I responded.

Brandon gave me a look and stated, "Dude, do I look Chinese? My last name's Nishijima. I'm Japanese. That was the hint. How could you not get that?"

I shrugged and stated, "Eh, thanks for trying to help. You wanna go find an empty classroom and watch film?"

He smiled and answered, "Yeah, I got my dad to let me borrow his old iPad. We can hook it up to a projector."

Out of nowhere, Dennis butted in between me and Brandon and asked, "Wait, you guys are watching film? Can I join?"

Brandon fumbled his tray of food and stated, "Bro, you made me almost drop my food! Next time, be a normal person and just tap my shoulder instead of shoving your way in."

Dennis just laughed and said, "Haha, thanks for the tip, Brandon. I'll keep that in mind. So, can I join in?"

We say no, he is just gonna complain and say that we are holding the team back without including the best player to watch film. We say yes, he is gonna criticize everything we do and say anything he does is perfect. Lose-lose situation.

We looked at each other and knew that it doesn't matter whatever we do. I sighed and said, "Sure bro, you can join us."

"OOOOOOOOOO, DID YOU SEE THAT?! I DUNKED THAT FOOL! I MADE THAT FOOL MY B-"

I interrupted, "DENNIS! Shut up! We've been watching the same highlight for 100 times. Can we move on?"

Brandon interjected, "Ya man, the whole point for this film session was to help me get better."

Dennis conceded, "Alright, alright. But you gotta admit, that dunk was nasty."

I rolled my eyes. I commented, "Dennis, you can watch your mixtape on your own time. We need to help Brandon."

Dennis mumbled something about people not appreciating greatness and pressed play. This play was when Semi blocked Brandon's floater.

I commented, "Okay, did you see Jeffrey coming at you? If you look to the right, he left Connor wide open. You could look off Semi and dish it to Connor for an easy lay-in."

Dennis added, "That's one way to look at it. But you missed 26 sagging who is sagging off you, Percy. Brandon could actually fake it to Connor and then pass it to you for the outside three."

I looked at the play again and saw I was open.

He continued, "If you don't like that look, you could move the ball to the top to me and I could dish it to Kyle. He would have given me a pick beforehand and our man would have switched. He would have a mismatch and get the easy 2."

Brandon and I both looked at him in amazement.

Dennis looked back at us and said innocently, "Hey, I don't just score. I can pass too."

"Nah, it's not that. How did you process that whole set up?" Brandon asked.

I added, "Yeah man. It's like you thought of three plays in advance."

Dennis just shrugged, "I don't know man, I just know what would play out."

We continued watching film. Dennis and I tried to give pointers to Brandon as we finished watching the game. Well, I was giving advice and Dennis was just giving criticism for every little thing.

"Dude, you need to look up and open your eyes. Did you not see James. HE WAS WATCHING YOU THE WHOLE TIME!" Dennis shouted.

Brandon stood up and got right into Dennis's face. He replied, "Hey, whatcha mean 'open my eyes.' Is that supposed to be funny? Cause I'm Asain?"

Dennis answered back, "Bro, it doesn't matter if you're Asian, White, or Latino. The dude was right in front of you and you handed him the ball."

"Okay guys, let's take a break. I think we could all use a breather," I interjected as I stepped in between them.

"Nah, forget this. I don't need this," said Brandon.

Dennis laughed and stated, "You don't need this? Bro, grow up and stop getting your feelings hurt. I'm just telling you the truth. You can't handle that, then I can't trust you in the game. Might as well sit on the bench."

Brandon just flipped him off and stormed off. This is just great. Two teammates who can't stand each other. Who said team chemistry was important anyways.

I shoved Dennis and got into his face, "Not cool man. Lay off the dude."

He instantly responded, "Hey, the dude needs some tough love. If he's gonna crack under the pressure I give him, then he won't be able to handle his stuff when he's on the court."

I sat down in exhaustion. This whole thing was a mess.

Dennis sat down next to me. He commented, "You know I'm right. This is just practice. I need to trust teammates when we go out onto the court. It's like going to war, I need to know he will have my back and won't choke."

Ha, going to war. Yeah, basketball is definitely the same thing as going into war.

"Ya, you're not wrong. But that eyes thing was a low blow."

Dennis looked a bit ashamed and answered, "Okay, ya, that was a wrong choice of words. I wasn't trying to say anything about him being Asian. But the dude was right in front of him. What else am I supposed to say?"

I laughed and responded, "Anything, but that."

We smiled at that. We may be different, but we get along for the most part. I understand that him being cocky is just who he is. He's not really a bully, but the combination of honesty and words are not his strong suit. And he gets me for the most part. I'll stand up against him if he gets out of line but will look out after him on the court.

Dennis looked at me seriously and said, "Look, this is my last year and I think we have a shot this year. I know I always talk about state, but I'm serious bro. We actually have a shot with this crew. We are just missing like one piece. And if Brandon steps up, we may not need that piece. "

I answered, "I get what you are saying, but you need a different approach. If you keep going like this, Brandon won't listen to you or he will lose his confidence."

He smiled at that and replied, "Nah, he won't lose confidence. He may crack under pressure, but it's cause he is thinking too much. Once the game slows down for him, he's gonna get it."

I looked at him in wonder and asked, "How do you know that?"

Dennis looked at me and said, "Cuz I used to be him."

"Anyways, I need him to make me look good. Scouts saw me over the summer at the AAU circuit. But the big ones will see me when I play with bigger competition. The only way for that to happen is if we get deep in the playoffs," Dennis stated.

I keep forgetting about college. I mean growing up, I was never given the chance to think about my future past 16. I forget normal teens actually think about college. I mean, the only real school for me is the one in New Rome. So, I can't really think of colleges like NYU, Duke, or Michigan.

I don't know how long we were in the classroom, but freshmen starting piling in randomly. A couple of them walked up to Dennis and asked for his autograph. He got a kick out of that. Typical Dennis. A walking local celebrity and he is still in high school.

We were walking down the halls when we saw Coach Kevin with some skinny looking kid.

He caught our eye and waved us over.

Coach Kevin talked, "Boys, I got someone I want you to meet. He just maybe our missing link you keep talking about Dennis. This is Jalen and I'm pulling him up from the JV team."

Dennis and I looked at each other and said at the same time, "A freshman?"


	5. Sizing Each Other Up

How good was this freshman to get pulled up? I barely made the team last year. I didn't even play due to Hera putting me into a coma and sending me to Camp Jupiter. Saving the camp, then traveling across the world, going into Tartarus, too long of a story. Just the usual saving the world. Let's just say Hera and I are not on good terms right now. Anyways, Coach Kevin has only pulled up one freshman and that was like ten years ago.

I looked at Dennis and I could already tell he was annoyed. Typical. He is still salty he wasn't chosen his freshman year.

The freshman looked at us and seemed irritated about being a freshman. He commented, "Ya, I'm a freshman. That a problem?"

Dennis answered, "That depends. How good are you at handing out water?"

That riled up Jalen and he started to charge until Coach Kevin stopped him. I don't know what he would have done since he was all skin and bones. Dennis is 6'6 ft and can bench 230. This kid is like 6 foot flat, but I don't even know if he can lift the bar.

Dennis smirked and stated, "Coach, let him go. This chipmunk can't do anything. Besides in the game, his only job is to hand out towels."

I elbowed Dennis and gave him a look to lay off the kid. Dennis just seems to be on a mission to piss everybody off today.

Coach shook his head and said, "You might change your opinion during practice today. Film starts at 3 and practice starts at 4. Go to class boys."

He walked away with a hand on the freshman's shoulder. Jalen turned his head around and seemed to give Dennis his "death glare". Dennis and I just cracked up at his face all scrunched up. Like, how is this baby face, no facial hair, noodle arms supposed to be intimidating? That seemed to piss Jalen off even more.

"Jackson, did you see his face? Haha, messing with him is gonna be so much fun," Dennis told me.

I replied, "You right. But I wonder how good is he? Like, Coach never pulls up freshmen."

Dennis answered curtly, "Ya, thanks for the reminder, Jackson."

"I'm just saying, bro. We should just give the kid a shot. He may surprise us," I responded.

Dennis shrugged and stated, "Whatever Jackson. All I know is that he is not taking my touches. He will have time for that after I graduate."

I raised my eyebrows and asked, "Excuse me? What about me? Am I some chump who can't ball?"

He dismissed my outburst with his hand and answered, "Bruh, it won't matter cuz I'll be long gone. That's gonna be your problem."

I smiled and remarked, "It may just be your problem now if Coach asks me to play point. I may just pass to only the frosh and freeze you out."

He stopped in his tracks and said, "You wouldn't."

I shrugged and said, "I don't know man. 'All I know is that he is not taking my touches.'"

That riled him up. He jumped on back and tried to take me down by putting me into a chokehold. He does this every time. It's like he never learns.

I elbowed him in the stomach and stepped on his foot. He may be really strong, but from what Annabeth taught me is that strength sometimes has to bow down to wisdom. Like is core actually pretty weak and you can't build strength on the top of your foot.

He let go immediately and I twisted his hand behind his back. I shoved him to a locker and put his arm in a very awkward position.

"So Dennis, Uncle?"

He still kept struggling and shouted, "Never Jackson! Never!"

I twisted his arm even further and he squealed, "Uncle, okay, Uncle!"

I smiled and let him go. He is just like the sea monsters. I never have to hurt him too badly because he will just surrender.

He glared at me and remarked, "One of these days I'm gonna get you, Jackson."

I laughed and responded, "That will be the same day when you stop complaining about not shooting the ball enough after jacking it up 30 times."

He smiled at that and replied, "True that Jackson."

He hesitated and then said, "You know, I may be riding on that freshman, but it's finally nice to get another brother on the team. I don't have to carry you white dudes by myself anymore."

I shoved him and he just couldn't stop laughing.


	6. One-v-One

Ch. 6

The rest of the day flew by and I met up with the rest of the team to watch film. Most coaches would yell at the players for making simple mistakes like turning the ball over and bad defense.

Ask any football player. Heck, just listen to Coach Hedge. He will get on you for just asking to use the bathroom in his Wildlife Survival class at Camp Half-Blood. Coach Kevin isn't like that at all. He likes to have a conversation with us to understand why we made the decision. Don't get me wrong, he will get frustrated. However, he just showcases his frustrations in a different way. He talked about the mistakes we made in the first half since that was when we made most of our mistakes. He let the tape roll in the second half and didn't bother to talk about the fourth quarter. He made his point across during the game.

Once film was finished, Coach Kevin sent us to change and get onto the court.

"Yo Brandon. You still in a pissy mood?" asked Dennis.

Brandon just stared at him. I answered for him, "Yeah Dennis, he is completely over your racist joke."

"Ugh, bro, it was a joke. My fault Brandon, sorry about that," said Dennis.

Brandon looked at me and I shrugged at him. He sighed and replied, "Whatever man."

Kyle came over and asked us, "Hey, did you guys see that freshman?"

I answered, "Ya, Coach showed him to me and Dennis. He seemed alright. Anger issue tho. Just ask Dennis."

Kyle looked at him and asked, "Yo, what's Jackson talking about, Johnson."

"Man, Percy is just getting on my case cause that freshman got his feelings hurt. I told the little man that he was a towel boy," remarked Dennis.

The whole team died in laughter. Connor was bending over and Kyle was making a funny noise that sounded like an old man with coal-black lungs wheezing.

Once Kyle caught his breath, he stated, "My man. Are you seriously that jealous to call him a towel boy cause he was picked as a freshman and you weren't."

There oohs to that response.

Dennis snapped back, "Honestly, ya man, I am a little jelly. But if I were you, I wouldn't be talking. At least called up in playoffs and got playing time. You didn't start getting minutes until this year. Your last year, senior boy."

The oohs were so loud this time, the lockers were shaking from the sound. Kyle's face turned red and shrunk back to his locker.

We walked out of the locker room and into the gym. Except somebody was already there.

Jalen was out on the court with the ball in his hand. He was behind the three-point line by five feet, NBA range.

He shoots.

_Swish_

Nothing but net.

We all looked at each other. This was no ordinary freshman.

Kyle leaned down to Dennis's height and whispered, "I don't think he is the towel boy. I think you are."

"Watch the cutter, Terry!"

Brandon sees Dennis cutting to the basket and delivers the perfect bounce pass to him. He catches the ball mid-stride and jumps up to meet Terry at the basket. Except Terry sees Dennis streaking too late and provides weak side help defense a second late. Dennis flys by Terry and dunks it hard. _SLAM_

"Sorry Percy," shouted Terry, "That's my fault."

I answered back, "It's cool, just get there earlier."

Coach Kevin likes to get us energized at the beginning of practice. So, he has us do a drill called 3-2-1. Basically, three guys start with the ball on one side of the court and weave pass it to half court. Once they pass halfcourt, they come to face off two defenders and have to score against them. If the three offensive players are in sync, they can score almost every time because they have a 3 to 2 player ratio advantage. After the offense scores or at the end of the possession, the defenders get the ball and have to score at the other basket. The person who shot the ball last has to go back and defend the other hoop. This drill helps with fast-break offense and defense. Our team is not really big and we don't have a whole lot of reliable three-point shooters. So, our best option for scoring is usually a fast break.

I brought up the ball and was dribbling up the right side. Dennis was playing lockdown defense because he knows I won't pass to Terry right away. This is true because Terry is still learning to play and cannot handle the ball very well. But he has big hands and I can use that. Dennis may be more athletic than me, but he lacks imagination. I drive hard into the right lane and shoot a layup. Dennis anticipates this and tries to cut me off so I pick up my dribble. However, I continue to drive and I lower my shoulder into his chest. I raise the ball in the air and I am about to lay it in when I see Dennis's hands come out of nowhere. Dennis's smile is so big, it is as long as Grover and Annabeth after they got stretched out by Krusty in LA. I notice that he left his feet and I smile at that. I pump fake the ball and bounce pass it to Teddy between my legs. Teddy was trailing me the whole time and knew the ball was going to him. He caught the ball and dunked it so hard, I swear I saw the glass vibrating.

"That's what I'm talking about Terry," I shouted as I fist-bumped him.

"Nice pass Percy," Terry responded.

Dennis butted in and commented, "Bruh, your lucky Jackson was in the way. Otherwise, I would have knocked your butt to the ground."

Terry raised his eyebrows and I snorted in laughter. I responded, "Ya Johnson, you could definitely block Terry's dunk, forget the fact that he is almost seven feet tall."

Dennis replied, "Hey, it doesn't matter how tall he is. He still cannot bully me in the paint."

I rolled my eyes and just watched the next players on the court. This one had Kyle, Grant, and Jalen. Grant brought the ball up and Brandon went out to guard him. However, this left Jalen wide open at the right-wing. Grant saw this out of the corner of his eye and delivered a no-look pass to Jalen. Connor sprinted towards Jalen to close out as soon as Jalen caught the ball. Jalen saw Connor sprinting towards him and pumped fake the three-pointer. Instead of shooting the ball, he drove into the paint and was met by Brandon last minute. He passed the ball between Brandon's legs and right into Kyle's hands. Brandon went to cover Kyle, but this was a total mismatch. Kyle just posted up Brandon and delivered a right-handed hook shot. Buckets

"Daaaaaang, this freshman got some moves," shouted Terry.

I elbowed Dennis and asked, "You still think he is a scrub?"

Dennis glowered at me and didn't answer my question.

After the sequence between Brandon, Connor, and Kyle finished, I got the ball. I was teamed up with Dennis and Terry against Jalen and Grant. Jalen is fairly short and Grant is like a few inches taller than me. So, the best option is to pass a lob to Terry. The only problem with that is Dennis doesn't see that. After my comment, he made it his personal mission to embarrass the kid.

As I was bringing up the ball, came out to defend me. I noticed Jalen was leaning towards Terry, so the best option is to pass to Dennis and let him pass it to Terry inside the paint. So, passed it to Dennis and sure enough, Jalen came out to defend Dennis. Except Dennis didn't pass it to Terry right away. He just held the ball.

I yelled, "Dennis! Just pass it to Terry. He is wide open!"

He responded, "Nah, Jackson. I got this."

Jalen commented, "Your gonna get nothing bruh."

Dennis looked down at the freshman and said, "Is that so? You sure about that?"

Jalen replied, "Ya, not even your mama can save you from embarrassment."

_Oh dam. Why did he have to bring up his mama?_

Dennis looked livid. It was as if he was a cartoon and smoke was steaming out of his ears.

Dennis angrily said, "I'm gonna destroy you so bad, Coach is gonna send you back down to JV. It is gonna be so bad, you will be sent to the bench."

Dennis jab stepped to the right and dribbled towards the top of the key with his left. Jalen bit on the jab and tried to recover by overcompensating to his right. As soon as this happened, Dennis switched directions by dribbling the ball behind his back. Grant tried to help the double team and cut off Dennis's right side. Dennis saw this right away and split the double team by dribbling the ball from behind his in between his legs like he was Kyrie with the ball on a string. Then he shot a jelly layup with his right and kissed off the glass into the basket. He smirked at Jalen and blew him a kiss. This pissed off Jalen and he sprinted towards the other basket after the ball was inbounded. Jalen didn't even bother to look for Grant. He was just locked in and was battling Dennis one-v-one. Dennis knew the kid had range, so he crowded Jalen's space to see if the freshman had any handles. Jalen was holding his own for a bit and dribbled crossover to the left. He got Dennis beat and drove into the left. He smiled at the open lane was going to lay it in with his right. However, Dennis recovered quickly and swatted the ball out of the air like it was a fly.

Dennis shouted, "YOU CAN'T SCORE ON ME!"

Jalen shoved Dennis out of frustration. Dennis came right back at him and got into Jalen's face.

_Phwwwwwwwhht_

Coach Kevin whistled and came in between Jalen and Dennis to break them up.

Coach Kevin intervened, "Okay guys, back it up. Jalen, this is Varsity. You can't bring that weak stuff into the paint. If you are going to go inside, you need to go strong. And you can't get so easily distracted or allow your opponent into your head. If you weren't so focused on trying to score on Dennis, you would have noticed Grant was wide open for a three-pointer."

Dennis smirked at Jalen getting scolded by Coach.

Coach Kevin noticed this and added, "Oh, you're not much better Dennis. You are the one who started this whole thing in the first place. If you weren't so focused on trying to show up Jalen, you would have noticed Terry was wide open for a lob. You are a senior, dammit, you should know better."

Coach looked at us and said, "Basketball is a team sport. That means we need to have teamwork in order to win. If we start playing hero ball, we will never be able to compete. So, if we want to reach state, we need to play together and less against each other. Understand?"

We responded, "Yes."

Coach Kevin glowered at us and repeated, "Understand?"

We responded in unison, "Yes, Coach."

"Alright. Because you two made us delay practice, I want everyone on the line. We are gonna run suicides," Coach added.

Everyone groaned and mumbled some unflattering comments about running.

Dennis went over to Jalen and commented, "Thanks a lot, freshman. This is on you."

Jalen scowled at the comment and was about to respond except I stepped in between them.

I stated, "Hey, this is on both of you guys. But if you say anything else, Coach is going to make us run even more. So, shut it."

Jalen glared at Dennis and walked to the other side of the court.

Coach Kevin had us run suicides for half an hour. After we finished running, Coach had us run a couple of plays. He pitted starters against the second string. This wasn't really about scoring, it was all about perfection. If Coach Kevin didn't like how we executed the play, he would have us run it again. It doesn't matter if we scored, we run the play again if it wasn't perfect. He one time had us practice one play for the whole practice because we kept getting it wrong. This time was much better though. We pretty much finished his playbook and finished off with inbound plays.

Coach Kevin gathered the team together and stated, "Ok guys, we had a shaky start, but we finished strong. I'm proud of you guys. Tomorrow's practice is gonna be much lighter. We are just going to go through a couple of plays and some defensive tactics for the next game. We are facing Edgarton Day and Boarding School. They are one of the top five basketball programs in California behind Mater Dei, Sierra Canyon, and Chino Hills. Also, the game will be televised. So, get some rest and watch their game tape."

Everyone started to disperse to the locker rooms and some others went multiple baskets to practice their free throws.

Dennis pulled me aside and asked, "Dude, I need you to guard me for a bit. I need to practice my fadeaway."

I shrugged and said, "Sure bro."

Dennis got the ball at the elbow and had his back facing me. I put my arm into his back and used my other hand to block his view on the right. He took a couple of dribbles trying to back me down, but he was going nowhere. Suddenly, he picked the ball up and turned to his left. He rose up to shoot over me and leaned back. I rose my hand up to block his view since I couldn't get close to the ball.

He released the ball and said, "Kobe."

_Swish_

I shook my head and asked, "You still think you need more practice from my defense?"

He shrugged and said, "Hey, you're the best defender on the team. Plus, I need to practice my balance. My leg was off a bit. It needs to be perfect for the game. It's all about that Mamba Mentality."

Coach walked over to us and said, "Hey Percy. Can I talk to you for a second?"

I nodded and walked with him to a couple of chairs on the sideline.

He stated, "I need you to step up and get Jalen comfortable with the team. He may talk a big game, but he is just a freshman trying to fit in. He may not look much, but his range can help us get over the top."

I nodded and answered, "For sure, Coach. I'll help him out."

He smiled and replied, "Thanks a lot Jackson. You may not believe this, but the guys look up to you. Even Dennis."

I was stunned. How was that possible? Dennis didn't look up to anyone except Kobe Bryant.

Coach noticed my bewildered look and continued, "You just have this calm presence. You remind me of quiet before the storm. You have this chill persona. But once the game starts, you attack as if your life depends on it."

It's probably because my life usually depends on it since everyone is trying to kill me.

Coach added, "Anyways, thanks for looking out. Also, for our next game, one of their key players is their shooting guard. He has a solid jumper and can handle the decently. But his athleticism is off the charts and he can jump out of the gym. I'm gonna need you to cover him most of the game because no one will be able to match him, not even Dennis."

I nodded and responded, "Ya, I gotcha Coach. I like a challenge."

I hesitated for a second and then asked, "Who is it that I'm guarding?"

Coach Kevin answered, "He is one of the top recruits in the nation. His name is Jason Grace."

**If you reached this far, then you are most likely a basketball fan. And if that is the case, you must know what happened today, January 26, 2020. Today, there was a tragic accident that involved Kobe Bryant and some of his friends who died in a helicopter accident. I want you guys to pay your respects to Kobe and his family. He is a legend who died too young. He was making a difference in the world and has made a huge impact on my life. He is one of my heroes. He showed athletes are more than just jocks and should not shut up and dribble. He won an Oscar, wrote several books, and was a loving father. I may not be a Lakers fan, but I will forever respect him and his dedication. His daughter Gianna was taken too soon as well and I believed she would have made an impact in the future as well. So, I will make a chapter dedicated to him, but I do not know when. Please enjoy life and tell the people who are important in your life that you love them. Whenever you take a shot on the court or shoot a crumpled up paper in a trash can, just remember the Black Mamba and say, Kobe.**

**RIP Kobe Bean Bryant and Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant**


	7. Summer after Gaea

Ch. 7

The summer after defeating Gaea

It's been a couple of days since we defeated Gaea and found out what Leo did. I'm proud of what he did, but I feel like it should have been. I should have been the one to take on Gaea and sacrifice my life. I just feel like I could have done more so Leo wouldn't have to make that decision. Camp Half-Blood has been a combination of chaos and awkwardness. With the Romans at camp, it has been extremely chaotic and loads with more people here at camp. However, it has also been a bit awkward since we were just battling each other. I mean, props to Reyna, Annabeth, and Piper because they have been really pushing unity and friendship. But you can't just force people to get along, especially when they were just enemies. The allegiance will just take time to develop. No one understands that better than me and Jason.

I looked out the window and it was a typical sunny, summer day. Perfect day to do some sword training. I went to get some clothes to change into and noticed my basketball shorts in the drawer. I haven't played in a while. Playing basketball wouldn't be such a bad idea. I need to get some shots up anyway to get my shooting form back. Or at least get comfortable with a ball again. Maybe I can play Horse with Connor Stoll, he's always fun to play with.

I changed into some basketball shorts and a Camp Half-Blood tank top. I put on my white converse and walked over to the basketball courts. Hopefully, there is a ball out there, otherwise, I might have to convince Connor to steal one from the Camp store.

As I was walking towards the court, I heard the ball bouncing from a distance. Maybe Connor beat me to it. That would definitely be first since he sleeps in more than me. I looked at who was bouncing the ball and I was surprised to see Jason out there. He was already breaking a sweat and breathing heavily. He was at the left-wing in a triple threat position. He had the ball on his right hip and looked like he was in a game situation. He jabbed to his left once, twice. Suddenly, he ripped through an imaginary defender and drove to the left. He took two dribbles and jumped up into the air. The way he jumped into the air was like he was Clyde Drexler, gliding through the air as if gravity had no effect on him. Being the son of Jupiter gives you those perks. Still, watching Jason fly was still amazing. He pumped fake and did a reverse dunk on the right side. I had no clue he could ball, but I should have known since he could fly.

I walked over to join him on the court. He noticed me walking towards him and waved at me. He picked up the ball and we met at the top of the key.

I asked him, "Bro, I didn't know you could ball?"

He smiled and answered, "Well, you never asked."

I waved him off and continued, "We could use you at my high school. With your hops, we could just toss you lobs every time."

He laughed and replied, "That would be nice. But I'm actually going back to California. Piper wants to go back and see her dad. So, she thought it would be a good idea if I went to school near hers since she would be going to an all-girls school."

I stared at him in disbelief. I questioned, "Bruh, I thought you were gonna stay at Camp Half-Blood for awhile."

He shrugged and responded, "Change of plans. Besides, I already got started on the shrines. I just need someone to build them. When I head back to Cali, I'm gonna design some more and ask Frank or Reyna to have someone build it. I want to go to school, I want to know what it is like to be a regular teenager."

I nodded and understood what he meant. Traveling the world is awesome and battling monsters is exhilarating, but I need a break from this. I need stability in my life. I miss the regular grind of school. It's tedious and draining, but it is nice to know that there is something "normal" I can go to and get a break from this life. Plus, I miss mom so much.

I answered, "I totally get what you mean. However, you may be surprised how stressful high school can be."

"Bruh, you can't be serious. Homework and studying will be a cakewalk compared to living life on the run and trying to defeat Gaea," Jason said.

I countered, "Haha, maybe. But it is almost like that. Rushing to finish projects and everything has a deadline. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. We are just that lucky in life."

He rolled his eyes and dismissed my point. He remarked, "Whatever man. I just need to try something new. I'm still trying to find myself."

I nodded and replied, "I feel you. Take the time you need."

"Thanks, Perce. I appreciate it, man," he responded.

"So, how long have you been out here?" I asked. "The way you have been sweating, I'd say you have been here for a while."

He laughed and answered, "Uh, not entirely too sure. I couldn't really sleep, so I got up around….maybe…. 5:30? I went to walk in the woods for a bit. I tried to clear my head by fighting some monsters, but that didn't work. So, I came out and it's been helping."

"Dang bro, you been up for like 5 hours?" I asked. "You been having nightmares or you thinking about Leo?"

He hesitated and answered, "Honestly, both."

It was silent for a bit until I asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"

He looked at me for a second and said, "Not right now. Maybe some other time."

"I understand. If you ever want to talk, just let me know. 'Kay bro?" I said.

He smiled and dapped me up. He stated, "Sounds good bruh."

He dribbled under the hoop and motioned me to the right elbow. I dropped my stuff to the sidelines and jogged over to the free-throw line. Once I put my hands up, he fired the pass hard to me. I caught the ball and shot it in one smooth motion.

_Clank_

Bricked front rim. He motioned me to the baseline. I ran to the position like I was coming off a screen and clapped my hands for the ball. He delivered a bounce pass into the palm of my right hand. I rose up to shoot a fadeaway.

_Clank_

Another brick off the back of the rim. I am so rusty.

"Hey, Perce. I may just have to transfer to your school after all. If you are their best player, well you guys must suck."

"Haha, so funny Jason. You channeling your inner Leo."

I got the rebound and dribbled to the top of the key. I drove to the right and then pulled up shoot a bank shot from midrange. Finally, the ball went in.

Jason got the rebound and motioned me to the left corner for a three. I sprinted over and tossed the ball towards my head. I pumped fake and drove into the paint. I exploded off the ground and slammed it down. I threw it down so hard and I just let go of everything. All the anger against Gaea for trying to wake up and the gods not pulling their weight in the until it was too late. At the fates for making me go through another prophecy. For Leo sacrificing and him no longer being with us right now. Just everything.

Jason whistled and commented, "And you thought something was wrong with me? Seems like you are going through something too."

I ignored his comment and demanded the ball at the top. He passed it to me and I jabbed to my right. I jabbed again and then drove to the left. I stopped as if I got cut off by another defender. I pivoted to my right and did an over the shoulder fade away.

_Swish_

I love that sound.

"Alright, you got midrange game and you can throw down. But can you shoot from deep?" asked Jason.

I took a step back and demanded the ball. Bring it.

He fired right into my chest. I rose up and shot it. Banked it in.

He motioned to the right-wing. I ran like Connor was setting me a screen and the ball was thrown perfectly. It was as if it was waiting for me. I caught and shot it in one motion. The ball rolled around for a bit before it finally went in. I ran to the corner and Jason bounce passed it to me. I shot the ball as if I was Kobe Bryant fading away. Airball.

I heard snickering and saw Jason was failing to hold his laughter.

"So, it is true," stated Jason. "The twins did curse you."

I challenged him, "Hey, I was 2 for 3. I'd like to see you do better."

He stopped trying to hold his laughter and let it loose. He said, "Bruh, the twins are my siblings. You really want to take that challenge?"

I thought about it and shook my head. I suggested, "How about 1v1?"

He looked at me and asked, "You sure about this? Once we start, we gotta finish. You sure your pride can it?"

I smiled and took a step closer to him. I countered, "Can yours?"

He smirked at that and said, "Alright Perce. You're on. Let's do this."

He bounced the ball to me and said, "Shoot for it."

I took a deep breath. I make this, I start with the ball. I breathed out and shot it.

Rolled out.

Dam, these twins just can't give me a break.

He smiled and said, "Too late now. My ball."

I got the rebound and passed it to him.

I said, "Check up."


	8. Pick Up

Ch. 8

Round 1

Jason caught the ball and stated, "Game to 11. Best out of 3."

One on one is played differently for everyone. But the universal rule is the winner is the first person to get to 11. Some people play with 1s and 2s, others play 2s and 3s, and the rest play by 1s. We were going to play the point system of the first one. With no referee, you basically call your own fouls. And you have to win by two. That is another universal rule. After someone scores, the possession of the ball depends on who you are playing. Some play winners ball and make it take it. Others play like it was a normal game and change possession after the ball is scored.

Jason can fly and dunk easily, but I haven't seen him shoot it yet. So, I sagged off him and challenged him to shoot it. He was two feet behind the arc. He noticed me sagging off and smiled at me. He took a couple of dribbles to the three-point line and rose up to shoot it. I didn't bother to challenge him and let him get an open look.

_Swish_. 2-0 Jason.

Jason held his follow-through like he was Michael Jordan.

"Winners," Jason stated.

It could have been a lucky shot. So, I defended him on the three-point line, but still gave him room to shoot it from deep. He dribbled to the left and stayed distant from me. He began to drive into the lane until I cut him off. Jason decided to scoot back some more to the left-wing and let the ball fly. I was completely off guard for him to shoot again and challenged his shot a second left.

Banked it in. 4-0 Jason.

I commented, "Luck."

He smirked at me and retorted, "Maybe, but the ball went in. And I'm up 4-0. You haven't even touched the ball yet. You're gonna play some defense or what?"

"Keep talking and you won't score another bucket," I countered.

I checked him up and put some extra pressure. I cut his left side off and forced him right. He took a couple of dribbles and tried to crossover to his left. I saw the ball coming and took a swipe. I picked him off and took it straight to the basket.

I laid it on the right side. 4-1 Jason.

Jason gave me an annoyed look and checked the ball up. He played the exact same defense I did on him and laid off. Challenging me to shoot the three. I looked up at the basket and thought why not. I make this shot, I can close the gap. So, I shot it and took a chance.

_Clank_. Bricked off the front rim.

Jason got the rebound and dribbled out to the three-point line to clear it. I raced over to put pressure on him so he wouldn't shoot the three. He motioned a pump fake and got me off my feet. He drove into the lane and dunked it.

_Slam_. 5-1 Jason.

"So when you gonna start playing D, Jackson? Or do you just like watching me score?"

"Try and dunk again, you'll find out," I responded.

I closed off his right side and forced him to go left. He took a couple of dribbles with his left and then exploded to the left side. As soon as he picked up his dribble, I slapped the ball hard and it popped out of his hands. I grabbed the ball and slammed it down.

5-2 Jason.

"Ball security, Grace."

He pushed me off and answered, "Just check-up already."

I got the ball at the top of the key and stared him down. He laid off and was waiting at the free-throw line. I drove into the right and lowered my shoulder to power through him. He saw the whole thing and was bullying me right back. I planted my left between his defensive stance and spun out with my right foot wrapping around him. I used the momentum and finger rolled it with my left.

5-3 Jason.

_I just need to close the gap._ I saw that Jason was still giving me tons of room to shoot the three. He does not think I'll be able to hit it. I can't just keep hitting ones all game. So, why not? I let it fly.

_Swish_. 5 all.

Jason checked the ball and said, "Finally it's a ball game. I thought I was gonna sweep you off the court."

I raised my eyebrow. As soon as I caught the ball, I shot it from the bottom of the half-court circle like I was Logo Lillard.

Banked it in. 7-5 Percy.

Jason scoffed at the shot and commented, "Now that was a lucky shot."

I shrugged and quoted him, "Maybe, but the ball went in."

He scowled at me and angrily passed the ball to me. He got up close and was finally playing defense. I got the ball on my left hip and was jabbing with my right foot. After a couple of jab steps, I finally ripped through his arms and exploded to the right. Jason tried to recover quickly and sprinted to stay on my hip. I noticed he wasn't in full control, so I dribbled between my legs and collected my dribble. Jason went flying to the right and I pulled up to shoot.

_Swish_. 8-5 Percy.

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH"

I turned to the bleachers and saw a couple of campers on the bleachers watching us. Some of them were wearing orange and others were wearing purple. But a lot of them were like 13 or younger and they were all shouting at once.

"Did you just see that?"

"He just broke Jason's ankles!"

"Percy got nice handles."

I smirked at the young ones. That can't be good for Jason's ego.

I looked over at Jason and he looked pissed.

"Just check-up, Perce."

I got the ball at the top of the arc and began to drive right. Jason closed me out and forced me to pick up the dribble. I was stuck and tried to jab step him to get some breathing room. He wouldn't bite and kept up the pressure. I pumped fake twice, but Jason still wouldn't leave his feet. On the third pump, I tried to shoot a fade away, but he tipped the ball. So, it was an airball and Jason sprinted to collect the ball. He picked up the ball and banked it in.

8-6 Percy.

He took the ball to the top of the arc and checked it. He jabbed to the right and drove to the right. I closed his right off and he crossed it behind his back. He then floated the ball with his left hand. _Swish_. 8-7 Percy.

My lungs were on fire and needed some water. I haven't been in the best shape after being thrown into Tartarus. Still trying to catch my breath and I held the ball a bit.

He caught the ball from my pass and automatically shot it.

Three. 9-8 Jason.

I rolled the ball to him and closed out to make sure he had no space to shoot. He took his time with the shot. He kept the ball low and out of reach. I had one hand down low and the other at his face to block his view. He jabbed to the right twice and then rose up. He used all of his 6'1 frame and faded away.

After he released it, he held his follow-through and looked straight into my eyes.

He stated, "Game."

_Swish_. 11-8 Jason. Winner.

The little campers rushed the court and swarmed him. Some campers were giving him high-fives and others were trying to climb on his back.

I walked off to the bench to get some rest. That took a lot out of me. I looked around to get some water. I felt a tap my shoulder and I turned around to see Annabeth. I smiled at her as she offered me a water bottle.

I commented, "Hey, thanks a lot Annabeth. I need this."

I chugged the whole thing in five seconds.

She laughed at me as I choked on the last gulp. She said, "Careful, Seaweed Brain. You are going to be the first son of Poseidon to drown from drinking water."

I laughed at the comment and retorted, "Come on, girl. You know that will never happen."

She raised her hands up innocently and countered, "Alright, but if you drown, I don't want to be the one to tell Sally that you died because you drank your water too fast."

I smirked and answered, "Whatever you say, Wise Girl. Got any more water?"

"Boi, where's your water? Why do you have to be drinking mine?" Annabeth exclaimed.

I replied back with a smile, "Because I can always count on you to have my back."

She refused to budge and gave me a side-eye with no response. I gave her my best seal puppy eyes and pleaded, "Please, I'm dying of thirst over here.:"

She rolled her eyes and tossed me another water bottle. She sat down next to me and stated, "You know, you lucky you're cute. Just dedicate your next basket to me."

I smiled and replied, "Ya, I got you, babe."

I drank half the bottle and dumped the rest on my head. The cold water dripping down my face gave me a new burst of energy. I felt refreshed and it gave me the same sensation of jumping into the pool. Not the same as the ocean, but still enough to make me feel like I was given sugar rush from blue candy.

Annabeth got splashed by some of the water and jumped out of her seat. She slapped me and exclaimed, "Aye! Watch yourself! Get water on me again and you won't be able to play basketball no more."

I smiled and responded, "My bad, babe. Just got carried away."

I looked over onto the court and saw Jason was still getting showered with love from the young ones.

I asked, "Got any tips."

She saw my eyes on Jason and answered, "Cut off his left. He is most comfortable driving left. He likes to jab right and go left. When he goes right, he likes to pull up. Play tighter D. His best way to score is layups and dunks. Don't let him get in the air. Make him shoot to outscore you. He is gonna get tired and his legs will not be able to support his jump shot. He jumps too high and relies on his legs too heavily. Sooner or later, his legs will get shot and he won't be able to shoot."

I nodded along as she was talking to me and was studying Jason. I noticed his breaths were getting heavier and he wasn't moving as smoothly. The whole commotion, celebration, and the game seemed to take a lot of energy out of him.

I got up and put the water bottle down. I stated, "Thanks for the advice coach. A kiss for good luck?"

She looked at me like I just asked her for a million drachmas. She responded, "Are you serious? That only happens when you are in a battle, and that's if I'm in a good mood. What makes you think you are gonna get one now?"

I shrugged and replied back, "Cuz it is a battle. Plus, it's tradition."

She looked me up and down. Finally, she sighed and answered, "Alright, fine."

I gave her a kiss and I smiled like I was the luckiest guy in the world.

She commented, "Go win for me, baby."

I responded, "Yes, ma'am."

I shouted, "Hey, Jason. Ready for round 2?"

He turned around and shouted back, "For sure. Winner's ball though."

I responded, "Whatever, man. Let's run it back."

Round 2:

Jason stood at the top of the three-point line and checked the ball to me. I passed it back to him and rushed over to guard his left. I gave him the right side to bait him. He took the bait and ripped through to the right. I slid to his right a bit and forced him to pick up his dribble. Afterward, he tried to cross me, but I tipped the ball and it hit off his foot. We raced each other to get the ball, but he got there first. As soon as he picked it up, he shot a three-pointer automatically.

2-0 Jason.

I gave him no room to move after I checked the ball to him. The only place he could hold the ball where it was out of my reach was above his head. Otherwise, I would have snatched it. He jabbed right and exploded to the left. I saw it too late and I was a step behind. He attacked the rim and dunked.

_Slam_. 3-0 Jason.

So, Annabeth was right. When am I gonna learn to never question her? I walked over to Jason and guarded him closely, watching his right foot jab. I goaded him into going to the right. He took a couple of dribbles with his right and then exploded into the paint. I slid my feet to cut him off and he tried to dribble between his legs from behind to switch directions. Except I was waiting for that and I angled my body to get back in front of him. His eyes got wide and he was shocked by how quickly I recovered. Next, he crossed behind his back and took a step back behind the three-point line like he was James Harden. He let it fly and banked it in.

5-0 Jason.

"Man, I'm still on fire. You ever gonna make this challenge?" Jason asked.

I looked at him dead in the eye and responded, "Wanna find out?"

He had no response. He wasn't talking as much as the last time. I watched his body language and noticed a switch. His feet were dragging and he was breathing much heavier. His moves seemed to be a step slower. I had to turn it up.

I gave a little more room than usual. I wanted to go give him the idea that I was slacking off because I was tired. He saw the change in my position and chose to dribble a crossover. I was waiting for it and held my hand down low. My hand tipped the ball and it got out of his control. I sprinted over to the ball and got in a triple threat position. He chose to cut off my right, so I ripped through to the left and reversed the layup.

5-1 Jason.

I stopped the bleeding. I just need to get some momentum and I can turn this game around. I got the ball and immediately drove to the right. Jason tried to recover and jumped as high as he could when I rose up to lay it in. Except it was a pump fake and I let Jason fly by me. Once Jason started to come down, I rose up to bank it in.

5-2 Jason.

When I got the ball at the top of the arc, Jason looked pissed and wanted payback. He got close and played tight defense. The only downside of playing tight defense is if the person you are guarding gets you beat on the first step, it is really hard to recover. So, I jabbed to my left twice and finally ripped through. Jason stayed on my hip through most of the way as I drove to the left. I decided to power through and lowered my shoulder. Once I collected my dribble, I put my shoulder into his chest and used my left hand to guide the ball into the basket. The ball rolled around the rim twice and finally fell through.

5-3 Jason.

I flexed my biceps and screamed, "And 1! Too strong."

Jason got pissed by my outburst, but I don't care. That just means I'm getting in his head. He tossed the ball to the top and waited for me to start playing again. I dribbled the ball with my right and drove towards the baseline. He let me dribble to the baseline and then decided to close me out. I was stuck and he knew it. He used the baseline as another defender. With my back facing Jason, I half turned to my right and then turned to shoot a fadeaway like I was Kobe.

_Swish_. 5-4 Jason.

I looked up and noticed it started to get cloudy and the sunshine was going away. I looked over at Jason and saw he was getting frustrated. I wonder if he had anything to do with that. It doesn't matter, I'll deal with it later. I got the ball and immediately started moving to the left. I stutter stopped and made Jason freeze. As soon as I saw Jason lose his defensive stance, I crossed from my left to my right and drove into the middle lane to finger roll it.

5-5 tied.

When I caught the ball, Jason got real close and gave me no breathing room. I ripped through to the right just to create space. He refused to back down and continued to try to steal the ball. I began to drive to the right lane and stopped suddenly by dribbling between my legs behind my back. I was able to lose him a little and rose up to shoot.

_Clank_.

Hit front rim. Jason got the rebound and raced to the left corner to clear the ball. He quickly turned around to shoot the three-pointer.

_Swish_. 7-5 Jason.

"Alright, I'm gonna end this just like last time," stated Jason.

He caught my pass and immediately rose up to shoot again. Except, I read him like an open book and I was able to tip the ball. His shot was altered and came up short. I caught the ball after the bounce and jumped up to lay it in.

7-6 Jason.

I checked at the top of the arc. When I caught it, Jason gave me a ton of room and raised his eyebrows.

He taunted, "Shoot it. You won't. No balls."

_No balls?_ Now I gotta shoot. I let it fly.

_Swish_. 8-7 Percy.

I began nodding my head and countered, "Right back at you."

I dribbled a crossover from right to left and went straight to the basket. Jason saw me cutting to the basket and met me at the post. I decided to try to post him. I began backing him down with my left shoulder and dribbling with my right. I wrapped my left foot around him and tried to power through with a right hook shot. I raised my hand to shoot. Except there was nothing in my head. Next thing I know, Jason has the ball and laid it in.

8-8 all.

Jason held the ball at the top and put it at his left hip. He is gonna do the same thing Annabeth has been telling me. He is gonna jab right and drive left. So, I went over to his right. I want him to go left. He jabbed once, twice. Then, he exploded to the left side of the basket. As he dribbled past me, I tipped the ball from behind and it hit his leg. The ball rolled out of bounds.

I smiled and looked over at Annabeth. She was beaming with one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen. I looked around and saw there were more campers surrounding the court. There wasn't enough room on the bleachers, so a lot of the campers were on the sidelines and baseline. I looked up and saw the sky was even grayer than usual. That can't be right. It's always sunny at camp, sometimes even in the winter. I at Jason and back at the sky. It has to be Jason. It's either him or Zeus is really into basketball. If the latter is true, then that is his fault for betting on the wrong man.

I got the ball and dribbled to the right. I was about to drive when Jason suddenly lunged and hit the ball. He went to go pick it up, but he lost control. I sprinted over to collect it. We grabbed it at the same time. We both struggled to gain control of the ball, but he was too tired and I could still feel the water bottle effect hadn't worn off yet. I ripped it out of his hands and dribbled to the three-point line. I pumped fake and let Jason fly by me as he tried to block. I then shot it and banked it in.

10-8 Percy.

Gamepoint.

I looked at him and stated, "I'm gonna end this. Right here, right now."

I took a couple of dribbles and then crossed it between my legs to my left. I saw him jump out and anticipated me driving left. Except, I crossed again behind my back and drove right. I was a step ahead of him and jumped up with my back facing the basket. I put the ball down at my groin area and then raised it back to dunk it.

_SLAM_! 11- 8 Percy.

I held onto the rime and screamed as loud as I could. I slapped the backboard before I came down. The campers with orange shirts rushed the court and started chanting my name.

"PERCY, PERCY, PERCY, PERCY!"

I started to point at the ground like I was Dwyane Wade and yelled, "THIS IS MY COURT! MY HOME! NO ONE SHOWS ME UP ON MY COURT!"

After the mob started to die down, I walked over to the bench and saw Annabeth, Grover, and Tyson were waiting for me.

"Water…" I croaked after I collapsed onto the bench.

Tyson propped me up and Grover handed me water.

Tyson started to massage my shoulders and commented, "Big brother, that was amazing."

Grover chipped in, "Ya, way to go, Perce. That was amazing."

I looked up and saw Annabeth was standing in front of me. I looked at her and raised my eyebrows.

She sighed and admitted, "You were right. That was a battle. But you need to control powers."

I was perplexed. I asked, "What are you talking about?"

They all looked at each other and Annabeth responded, "You mean, you don't know?"

I shook my head and said, "I have no idea. I didn't use any of my powers. It was probably Jason."

Grover looked confused and responded, "Jason? You think Jason caused the earthquake?"

I stood up like I was electrocuted. I asked, "Earthquake? What are you talking about?"

Annabeth explained, "When you dunked the ball, everyone felt an earthquake. It wasn't big, but everyone still felt it. That was one of the main reasons why everyone cleared out from the bleachers."

Tyson added, "It may not have been Percy. It could have been Daddy."

I thought about it and it could have been Dad. However, I doubt Poseidon would care much about a pickup game.

I smiled and acknowledged, "It is possible. But it makes more sense than it was me. I did feel a tug when I dunked. I thought I just dunked it really hard and shook the basket. Guessed I slammed it too hard."

I heard some hooves and I turned around. I saw Chiron trotting towards the court. He came over to us and I asked, "Hey, Chiron. I didn't think you were interested in basketball."

He replied, "I enjoy some b-ball from time to time. But no, that's not why I'm here. I came over because I felt an earthquake. Do you know anything about it, Percy?"

I exclaimed, "Aw, Chiron. I didn't know you cared about my opinion. So thoughtful."

He shifted uncomfortably and stammered, "Er… I just thought you might know, since, you know…"

I answered, "It's because I am the leader of the camp. Wow, that is a huge honor. I never would have thought that. I got to tell Jason."

I walked off smirking as I saw Grover holding his laughter. I could tell Chiron was perplexed and I could feel the daggers from Annabeth. But I didn't want to admit to Chiron that I was at fault. I'm still trying to understand how I lost control and didn't even know.

I walked over to Jason who was still sitting on the bench and breathing heavily.

I asked, "You ready to go one last time."

He looked at me and took a swing of his water bottle. He responded, "Let's go. I'm going to get revenge."

Round 3:

I put the ball on my right hip and studied Jason. He put his hands up, waiting for me to make my move. He wasn't sagging off, but he wasn't playing super tight defense. He seemed to respect my shooting. I took a couple of dribbles to the left and then drove. He slid his feet to cut me off, so I crossed to my right and jump stopped at the left elbow. I rose up to shoot and banked it in.

1-0 Percy.

I got the ball and saw Jason was visibly tired. So, I exploded to the right and tried to lay it in. He met me at the right post block. I kept dribbling and started to post him up. I backed him down and then rose up to shoot. I tried to pump fake and get Jason off his feet, but he wouldn't bite. So, I tried to be Hakeem and do the Dream Shake. I went up as if I was going to shoot, and then went under Jason to reverse the ball on the other side.

2-0 Percy.

I dribbled the ball to the right again. This time, I chose to go to the right elbow and shoot.

_Clank_. Off the rim.

Jason got the rebound and ran towards the three-point line. He stood there for a bit, took a breath, and shot the ball.

_Swish_. 2-2 all.

He stood at the top of the arc for a little bit. He took this time to get some rest. I decided to put more pressure on him and closed him out. He saw me racing towards him and immediately drove left. I tried to recover and jumped up at the same time as him. Except he got the better of me and was able to get higher. He rose above me and dunked on me hard again.

_Slam_. 3-2 Jason.

_Boom_!

At the same time, Jason dunked it, there was lightning that sounded off.

Suddenly, it started to rain.

I asked Jason, "Bro, you responsible for this?"

He answered, "Honestly, maybe. Just as responsible as you are with that earthquake."

I nodded to that and replied, "Alright, you got me there. Yet, you do realize this rain is only gonna help me, right?"

His eyes got wide and responded, "I didn't even realize that."

I smiled and answered, "You better make your shots count. Otherwise, you won't get the ball back."

We squared off at the three-point line. He jabbed to the left a couple of times and then rose up to shoot.

_Swish_. 5-2 Jason.

He got the ball back and I played tighter defense. I didn't want him to shoot again. He tried going left, but I cut him off. So, he crossed to his right and drove into the middle of the lane. He got the best of me and dunked it.

_Slam_. 6-2 Jason.

At the top of the arc, Jason jabbed a couple of times to the right. It was the same move he had been doing all day. He drove towards the left. He may have a quick first step, but I was able to recover and get back in position in time. As he rose up to lay the ball in, I swiped the ball from his grip and stole it.

"Foul! That's a foul. I get the ball back."

I exclaimed, "What! Are you serious? That was all ball."

Jason countered, "Nuh-uh. You fouled me. There was a slap. You heard a slap, right Piper?"

"What! You can't just ask your girlfriend back you up. She is gonna defend you no matter what. She is biased," I responded.

Piper chirped, "Hey, I can voice my own opinion. I am my own person."

I retorted, "Yeah, and your ruling is?"

"Foul."

I threw my hands in the air and yelled, "SEE! I told you she was gonna side with you. You can't depend on her for this."

People started yelling at each other and taking sides.

I told Jason, "Okay, there is only one way to solve this. Shoot for it. Ball don't lie. Give me the ball."

Jason shrugged and answered, "Fine by me. You won't make it."

I squared my shoulders and rose up.

_Swish_.

I looked at him and retorted, "You were saying."

"Whatever, man. Still a foul," Jason responded.

I countered, "Ball don't lie."

I got the ball at the top of the arc and faced up Jason. I crossed the ball between my legs a couple of times and then exploded to the left lane. My first step allowed me to blow past Jason for an open lane. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason racing towards me. So, I threw the ball up really high lightly and allowed it to kiss off the backboard above the square. Jason just missed it by centimeters and the ball went in.

6-3 Jason.

When I got the ball, I decided to go right and went past the elbow to the right. I rose up to shoot a long two.

_Clank_. Back rim.

I sprinted over to get the rebound. I got the ball in the right corner. Jason misjudged the bounce of the ball and gave me ten feet of open space. I rose up to shoot the open three.

_Swish_. 6-5 Jason.

"Getting a little tired, Jason."

He responded, "Never. Besides, I should have the ball. You fouled me."

I retorted, "Ball don't lie."

I faced up Jason while dribbling with my left. Jason was visibly tired and was definitely not himself. I jabbed to the left and drove to the right. He did a complete 360-degree turn and I crossed over to my left. I continued to the left and shot it inside the paint from five out.

6-6 all.

The rain was making everything slippery. The ball, the floor, the rim. It was making it terrible for Jason. Me on the other hand, I was thriving. This was my element.

"You starting to regret the rain, Jason?" I asked.

He stared at me and responded, "Shut up, Perce. Just play already."

I dribbled the ball with my right and it was splashing the court. It seemed like I was always dribbling into a puddle and causing water to splash everywhere. I crossed to my left causing Jason to shift right. I then crossed back to the right. As soon as I did that, I noticed Jason falling down after stepping onto a puddle. I had an open lane and laid it in easily.

7-6 Percy.

I started walking towards the top of the key when Jason got right into my face. He yelled, "Hey, why did you use your powers? Why did you trip me up with water?"

I responded, "Bro, what are you talking about. You fell on your own. Not my fault I broke your ankles because my handles are fire."

He exclaimed, "You wish. You tripped me up with the puddle."

I answered, "I did not. I would not stoop that low. I don't need to use my powers to win. Unlike somebody."

He looked incredulous and yelled back, "What's that supposed to mean?"

I continued to dig, "I'm just saying, I am not trying to fly in order to win."

Chiron came charging in and interfered, "Okay, boys. Maybe we should call it?"

Jason stared at me and stated, "Nah, let's continue. I'm cool."

Chiron narrowed his eyes and looked back at me. I said, "Ya, we're fine."

At the top of the arc, we stared at each other for the longest time. I jabbed to the left a couple of times and then rose up to shoot. Three-pointers may not be my strongest suit, but I just had a good feeling from the rain. Plus, I could extend the lead and get one possession closer to winning. The ball was right on target and about to go in. Suddenly, the ball shifted to the right and completely missed the rim. It hit off the backboard. Jason grabbed the rebound and put it back up.

7-7 all.

This time, I ran up to Jason and yelled at him. I screamed, "Yo, what the Hades! Look who is now using his powers."

He countered, "I'm just trying to even the playing field, bro. You're the one who started it."

I was pissed. I didn't even do anything. It's not my fault he fell. He is the one who put his foot in the puddle.

I shouted back, "I didn't do anything. You slipped on the puddle. Watch your step next time then."

He replied, "If that's true, then the wind wasn't my fault. Your shot just rode the wind."

This guy was pissing me off. I yelled, "Fine, you want to blame the water, Superboy. Let's see if you can handle a little splash."

I felt a tug in my gut and just released it. Suddenly, the water fountain, toilets, and showers exploded and the water crashed into Jason. He was wiped out from his feet and he crashed into the basket. His head was bleeding from crashing into the basket. He flew up and called on the lightning. It struck me down onto the ground. My clothes were steaming and I was fried.

I got up and was smiling. I cupped my hands and yelled, "Your sister hits harder than you."

That pissed him off. He took out his sword and flew down to me. I sprinted towards him and took out Riptide. As soon as it formed, I swung it right at Jason and was met with his sword. I felt another tug in my gut and I just could feel the rain. It took all of my will power, but I was able to control the rain and guide it directly to Jason. Jason called the wind to distract me while he attacked. We fought each other with the elements of water and air. The wind started to bother me less, but at the same time, the rain wasn't bothering Jason as much. We just kept fighting and exchanging blows. In the middle of the fight, I heard a voice in my head.

"Percy, you need to stop this."

I answered in my head, "Grover?"

He responded, "Who else? Look around, you guys are causing a storm and mass chaos for the young ones."

I looked around and noticed that Jason and I created our own hurricane. I looked down and saw campers running around screaming. I caught Jason's eye and motioned him down. He looked down and got a worried look in his eye. He came down and the storm we created slowly dissipated. We ran to the young ones and tried to calm them down. Chiron trotted over and looked at us both.

I stated, "You might have been right, Chiron. We probably should have stopped before all this."

He sighed and replied, "Very true, Percy. But the only way to know for sure is to allow you guys to make your decision upon it. Next time, do not allow it to go as far as it did."

We both answered, "Yes, sir."

He responded, "Now, help me calm down this crowd. We don't need another fight between camps again. Too much blood has been spilled to the ground already."

We both nodded and went to help other campers calm down. As we were helping the young ones, we looked at each other and came to an understanding to put this beef between us in the past.

I saw Annabeth helping a young girl calm down. I walked over towards her and tried to help.

Annabeth saw me and commented, "Nice going, Percy. I told you to keep your powers in check."

I nodded and replied, "Ya, I know. I lost control. I should have known better."

Once the little girl calmed down, Annabeth stood up and stated, "I'm just glad you're okay. You may be powerful, Percy, but you are still my Seaweed Brain."

I smiled. She is no longer mad. I responded, "Thanks, I love you too, Wise Girl."


	9. Challenging Jalen

Ch. 9

"Bro, you gotta watch out for that jab step. Don't bite. And pay attention when he hesitates, that's when he delivers a killer crossover," I told Dennis.

Dennis and I have been watching film on Jason Grace for the past two days nonstop. Brandon has also come into our film sessions a couple of times. We have been watching in class, lunch, practice, and bed. We also got yelled at during history class for not paying attention. Ms. Morrison does not entirely appreciate being ignored. But I mean if someone were to ask me what is more important this week, another quiz or battling Jason, I would definitely pick quiz. Cuz another quiz is so much more important even though I could make it up by acing another quiz. Obviously.

Dennis replied, "Dude, what if I just forced him left? He is constantly dribbling with his right."

I shook my head and answered, "No, no, no. He wants you to do that. He makes you think that by dribbling right. But as soon as you cover his right, he crosses to his left and explodes at the rim. Once he is in the air, it is game over."

Dennis gave me a perplexed look and countered, "Bro, there is no way this fool can out jump. This dude looks like he can barely get the ball over the rim."

I took the iPad away from him and went looking for a play Jason's previous games. I was scrolling and scrolling until I found what I was looking for. It was a play when Jason joined an AAU team late in the summer and went against the second-best center in the junior class. It was at some tournament in Texas where one of the players bricked a three. The center jumped to get the rebound and start the fast break. The only problem was that Jason snatched it out of dude's hands and dunked it over him. Jason was like Blake Griffin posterizing Pau Gasol, the only problem is that Jason is 6'2, not 6'9.

I showed Dennis the putback dunk and his eyes went wide. He watched it five more times.

He looked at me and said, "Bro, why didn't you lead with this? That play was insane. How did he get so much air? That white boy has hops."

I replied, "That's what I've been trying to tell you. He can get up. His dunk package is just as good as Zion Williamson, except without the power."

He whistled at that and asked, "You have seen it in person?"

I answered, "Ya, I have never seen anything like it. There is no one I know that can outjump him, let alone anyone on our team."

"So, don't let him get a fast break or an open lane. He makes a dunk like that in a game, it can give his team all the momentum," Dennis commented.

I added, "Ya, we cannot let him get into the paint, otherwise he will posterize our big men. He also has a smooth three-point shot. But his mid-range jumper is a bit shaky. So, if we can get him to pick up his dribble within the arc, but outside the paint, we have a shot of containing him."

Dennis looked at me and asked, "You gonna pick him up the whole game?"

I sighed and thought about it. I am the best defender, but if my whole energy is spent defending him, I will not be able to contribute on offense.

I answered, "For most of the game. I'm gonna need you to take a couple of possessions, so I can take a break. You got the body to challenge him and the speed to stay with him. Brandon should be able to take a couple of possessions. He can stay in front of Jason, but he cannot get posted up. Otherwise, it will be an easy 2."

Dennis nodded and understood the situation. He answered, "I may have to go for forty tomorrow night."

I nodded and stated, "Yeah, but I should be able to chime in a few points. And their point guard isn't great moving his feet. So, Brandon should be able to chip in like ten or so points. Jalen could possibly get a few threes if everyone is focused on you."

He looked at me like I was crazy. He said, "The freshman? Please tell me you are talking about a different Jalen."

I laughed and replied, "Bro, you saw him shoot. He can shoot the daylights out of anybody. He can come off a screen and let it fly. Trust me, he can be helpful."

He shook his head and said, "Whatever man. That's on you. Just get him and Brandon prepped. I don't need Brandon to choke in another game. I got to get to class."

I answered, "Woah. The great Dennis Johnson is going to class. Am I in the right place?"

He replied, "Man, shut up. I go to class once in a while. Besides, it's Biology, it ain't that bad."

After Dennis left, I started packing up my stuff when I heard the door open again.

I started off, "Dennis, what did you forget this time? Was it your ph-"

Then I was interrupted by getting my mouth covered by someone's hand.

I turned around and there was my best friend.

Grover whispered, "I'm excited to see you too, Perce. But I'm here to help a fellow satyr. I was told that there are a couple of monsters here and he is having trouble connecting with one of the demigods. I'm gonna remove my hand now, but don't freak."

He slowly removed his hand. I then tackled him to the ground and pinned him. I never promised to not freak out.

I whispered, "That's what you get for not telling me you were coming."

I let him up and asked, "So, who is the demigod?"

He answered, "Well, first off, ow. That hurt, Perce. Second, the demigod? I don't really know. I couldn't get much from his Iris message, but I was told that the kid plays basketball."

I gave him a look and asked, "Did this satyr mistake me as another demigod?"

He laughed and answered, "No, no, no. It's not you. Um, I don't think it is. Oh, god, if he mistakes you as the other demigod, this would be a disaster. I left my responsibilities in California to help out Stephen."

I commented, "Oh, so that's where you have been all this time. But why are you here? What makes this satyr so special?"

He answered, "He's my younger cousin."

I thought about it and asked, "Wait, do you mean your Uncle Ferdinand's kid?"

He nodded and answered, "Ya, that's the one. I've been trying to look out for him after my uncle died. He's family, so if he needs help, I'll come."

"I respect that. But how are you on campus, only students are allowed. The school is super strict, they don't even allow visitors sometimes," I stated.

Grover added, "Oh, ya. I'm a student now. Except as a senior. I don't think I could pass as a freshman."

I looked him over and laughed. He has really grown and become an adult. The responsibilities of Pan have really matured him. He is no longer that nervous, bubbly satyr I knew at twelve. Grover carries himself as a man, no one would mistake him as a teenager. Even being a senior is pushing it.

I commented, "Bro, you should have come as a substitute teacher. That beard throws everything off."

He laughed and replied, "Ya, I should shave it. But it's who I am."

I shrugged, "You do you, man. I have to get to class. What do you have?"

He replied, "I have American Government."

I said, "I have math, I'll see you at lunch?"

"Ya, see you then," answered Grover.

Once I got out of class, I walked over to the cafeteria and there was a long line. It has to be Pizza Day, that can be the only reason the line is so long. The school lunches are okay, but they get the pizza from a restaurant that is a couple of blocks away. That place is known to be local high school hang out after school or post-football and basketball games. I scanned the line and saw Brandon towards the front. As I started walking towards him, Grover came walking towards me.

Grover shouted, "Hey, Perce! Wait up."

I waited and told him, "Aye, I see a friend of mine towards the front. We are going to cut the line and stand with him."

Grover hesitated and said, "I don't know man, that's kind of rude. I don't want to piss anyone off on my first day here."

I told him, "Bro, it will be fine. Brandon is cool. Anyways, he is in front of a bunch of freshmen. If they give us any trouble about it, just intimidate them with your beard and they will get scared easily."

As we got closer to the front, Brandon waved us over to greet him.

I introduced the two, "Brandon, this is my best friend Grover. Grover, this is my teammate Brandon."

Brandon nodded his head, "Sup bro. Where you from?"

Grover answered, "I'm originally from the Bronx, but I recently moved to California. But I just transferred here for family stuff."

He nodded and replied, "Cool story, bro. I like your goatee. I wish I could grow facial hair."

He smiled and countered, "Thanks, but it's a hassle to maintain. Sometimes I just wish I had a clean face."

I called Grover out, "Quit lying. Earlier today you just said you would never shave it off."

Grover guiltily turned red and replied, "Pfft, I never said that."

I shook my head and responded, "Sure, bro. If that's your story. Anyways, Brandon you want to bring our lunch to the gym. I want to get a couple of shots off."

"Ya for sure," Brandon answered, "You wanna come join Grover? You can feed me and Percy the ball."

Grover stammered, "Uhhhh, me and basketball do not get along."

I smiled and recalled, "Oh yeah, remember that time when you went to get the rebound and the ball bounced on your head, causing it to pop."

Grover turned really red and whispered, "Noooo."

Brandon chimed in, "Wait, how does a ball pop from bouncing on your head?"

Grover and I looked at each other and that's when I turned red. Me and my big mouth. I forgot that Brandon isn't part of that camp life and doesn't know Grover is a satyr. His horns popped the ball which makes a funny story. Only problem is that we can't tell Brandon.

Grover quickly recovered my mistake and answered, "Oh, he didn't mean literally. My head caused the ball to bounce towards the rose bushes. That caused the ball to pop."

Brandon said, "Ohhhh, that would do it for sure."

I mouthed _thanks_ to Grover and he nodded to reassure me it was fine.

We got our food and ate the pizza as we walked towards the gym. As we got closer to the gym, we could hear a ball bouncing. When we looked to see who was practicing, we saw Jalen hoisting up shots from a couple feet in front of the half-court circle.

_Swish_

_Swish_

_Swish_

Grover whistled and said, "I may not know much about basketball, but that boy can shoot."

I walked over to Jalen and got the rebound. I passed him the ball and asked, "Do you ever miss?"

He smirked and responded, "When I'm open? Never."

I tilted my head and asked, "How are you such a good shooter? Like, have you just been practicing since the minute you were born?"

He shrugged and shot another three-pointer. "I don't know man. I just shoot the ball and it goes in," Jalen answered.

Someone else was walking in bouncing a ball and both me and Jalen turned to see who it was.

It was Jazmine Rivers. She is the team captain for the girl's basketball team and is not only the best girl's basketball player in New York, but is one of the best players in the state. She is 5'10 and has a smooth jumper.

She noticed me and said, "Wassup, Percy. Getting some shots off?"

I nodded and answered, "Ya, I always try to get loose at lunch. It helps me focus before a big game. How about you?"

She replied, "Ya, facing off a California school Archbishop Mitty tomorrow. They got one of the best players in the nation named Haley Jones. She showed me up at the USA Basketball camp. I ain't gonna let that happen again, especially on my court."

Apparently, Jazmine got her ankles broken at the camp over the summer and it went viral. Afterward, I heard she begged her coach to schedule a game against Haley's high school team to exact revenge. I saw a couple of mixtapes of Haley Jones and she can seriously ball.

"Alright, good luck to you. I'll come watch for a bit before my game. Sounds like it will be a fun game," I responded.

She shook her head and responded, "Nah, it ain't gonna be fun. I got some business to settle."

That's when Jalen came into the conversation and interjected, "Girl, lighten up. It's just a game. You shouldn't take it so seriously. Besides, it's just girl's basketball."

_Oof_ I thought. He should not have said that. I looked at Jazmine's reaction and it went from chilling to super serious within seconds. I stepped in between and stated, "Hey, Jaz, the kid is just a frosh. He doesn't know what he is talking about. He was joking."

She looked around me and stared right at Jalen. She commented, "Nah, Perce, let him speak. He's in high school. He can speak for himself."

Jalen continued, "I'm just saying, it's nothing compared to when we play. We are actually balling out, you guys are just doing layups."

She smirked and said, "Well, that's big talk from a freshman. Let's play and find out how much you can ball."

My eyes got big. Jalen can shoot, but I don't need his confidence to crumble because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

I was about to call it off until Jalen stated, "Your on, let's go."

Jazmine turned towards me and said, "Let's see what this frosh is made of. I want to see if he is varsity material, let alone starting. You ref Perce. First one to seven."

I looked over at Jalen and he nonchalantly said, "Let's play. I'll shoot for ball."

As soon as he squared up, he said, "How about we put a little wager on it. I win, I get to take you out on a date."

Jazmine raised her eyebrows and scoffed. She asked, "And if you lose?"

He shot the ball.

_Swish_

"I won't," Jalen answered.

That answer seemed to piss her off. She said, "WHEN you lose, you will be ball boy for the girls team and stat recorder. Check up."

Jalen caught the at the top of the arc and automatically shot the ball.

_Swish_. 2-0 Jalen

Jalen said, "Oh, this is gonna be the easiest date I have ever got."

Jazmine countered, "Is that cuz it will be only time someone actually considered going out with you?"

That made Jalen's face turn red while Grover, Brandon and I started cracking up.

Jalen got the ball at the top again and let it fly as Jazmine challenged his shot. It didn't matter.

_Swish_ 4-0 Jalen.

She handed the ball to Jalen and put more pressure on him.

She asked, "Have you ever had your first kiss yet? Or would I have to train you? Or worse, you cannot actually kiss. That would just be straight-up embarrassing."

Jalen had no response to that and tried to dribble around her. His lack of handles allowed her to pick his pocket. She got the ball and dribbled to the right-wing. She went outside the arc and shot it.

Banked it in 4-2 Jalen.

She shook her head and said, "It's over now boy, you should have never let me get the ball."

She was at the top of the three-point line. She jabbed a couple of times to the right and then rose up. Jalen saw it too late and tried to challenge it.

_Swish_ 4 all.

Some more basketball players came piling in for shootaround. They saw Jalen and Jazmine playing and came over. Connor asked, "Yo, what's happening here."

Brandon answered, "Jalen has a smart mouth. He insulted Jaz on girl's basketball and challenged her one on one for a date."

Connor shook his head and said, "Insulted and challenged Jaz for a date? Is that boy crazy? He has a death wish. Does Dennis know?"

I smiled and answered, "Not yet."

Kyle smirked and took his phone out. He stated, "I need to get this on tape. Maybe Ballislife will put this on their channel and Jalen can go viral."

Some of the boys basketball team were cheering for Jalen and the girls team were cheering on for Jazmine, but everyone knew it wasn't gonna make a difference.

Jazmine saw the crowd and said, "I see you got your boys out to cheer you on. I got mine too. You know what will happen after this play, tho?"

He asked, "What?"

She smiled and answered, "I'm gonna have both teams cheering me on."

With that statement, she drove into the right side to lay it in. Jalen tried to recover and jumped up to block it off the glass. Except Jazmine has superior basketball knowledge and sensed Jalen coming from behind. So, she extended her reach a bit longer and reversed it on the left side.

Buckets 5-4 Jazmine.

She said, "Looks like you are on the wrong side of the score."

Jalen got pissed at that and said, "Forget that. No more easy buckets."

She feigned innocence and stated, "Oh, you were going easy on me. Ok, let's turn it up."

She drove to the left side of the basket and Jalen cut her off. Jazmine then started to post him up and was backing him in.

She commented, "You know what else I find funny. Is that you think you can take me out. That's funny, except your skinny butt could not handle any of this. I can already tell you are getting excited."

That's when everyone lost it with the guys falling down in laughter and the girl's basketball team saying, "OHHHHHHHH!"

Jalen turned really red and tried to reach for the ball. Jazmine pumped fake and Jalen bit it. She then went under him and laid it in.

6-4 Jazmine.

That's when Dennis came walking in and asked, "Hey, what's all the commotion? What happened?"

We all pointed at the court and he seemed to understand what was happening. He crossed his arms and shook his head.

Jazmine got the ball at the top and said, "You need to respect women's basketball. Next time you talk smack, I'm gonna bust your head wide open."

Jazmine took a couple of dribbles to the right and drove towards the basket. Jalen tried to stay with her and got his feet in front of her. She then crosses it between her legs to go in the other direction. This caused Jalen to get his feet tangled up and almost fell down. She then picked up her dribble and stepped back to create space to pull up a deep two. Jalen jumped to challenge her, but ended up falling down. She shot a fadeaway.

_Swish_ 7-4 Jazmine. Game.

She stared down at him and asked, "What were you saying about girls basketball?"

Both teams started going crazy and everyone rushed the court towards Jazmine. They all cheered her on and were pounding her back. Jalen sulkily got up and walked towards the bench.

Dennis walked towards Jazmine through the crowd and everyone made a hole for him to get through.

Jazmine waited for Dennis to come to her and they kissed. Dennis stated, "I saw that you kicked our freshman's butt."

She shrugged and replied, "He needed to know his place. His head is too big. Reminds me of someone I know."

Dennis responded, "Oh, you mean, Percy. Shoot, I know. I have to keep reminding him to tone down his ego."

She slapped him playfully and he smiled at that. I walked over to join Jalen on the bench.

I asked, "So, you lost."

He replied, "To a girl. I lost to a girl."

I reminded him, "You lost to the best girl basketball player in New York. You are just a freshman. You should be proud to even get a couple of shots off, even if she was going easy on you."

He shouted, "What?! She was not going easy on me."

Dennis overheard and shouted, "Yeah she was."

Which caused Jazmine to laugh as they walked towards us. Dennis threateningly added, "Next time you ask out my girl, I'll make sure you never leave the bench. Permanently."

To add emphasis to his threat, he pointedly looked at Jalen's knee, as if to signal he would break it.

Jalen gulped and replied, "Got it, won't happen again."

As Dennis and Jazmine walked away holding hands, I elbowed Jalen and commented, "Don't let that get to you. We all know Jazmine would kick your butt. Dennis is just all talk."

Jalen shook his head in disgust and stated, "Whatever man, I don't believe you. I still can't believe I lost to a girl."

"Oh my god, would you shut up about her being a girl," I responded, "So, what kicked your butt? Get over it and admit she is good."

He yelled, "They have me getting crossed up on tape! They are gonna put it on WorldStar!"

I smacked his head and said, "Then next time, don't challenge her. Get your head right, I need you for the next game. We need your shooting."

He groaned and was about whine when I interrupted, "If you start whining about losing to a girl, I'm gonna smack you so hard that coach won't let you play. Let it go."


End file.
